Shiyi (Suzy) Ji ’19 – Embracing Uncertainty

Shiyi (Suzy) Ji ’19 came to Moreau Catholic four years ago from the east coast of China near Shanghai. At the young age of 14, she boarded a plane to travel over 6,000 miles by herself to join the Mariner community.

Though she knew no one upon her arrival in Hayward, Suzy felt welcomed by her own LC leaders. She was so inspired in fact, that she “was so happy to give that energy to new freshman.” So in her junior year, Suzy became a LC leader herself. During her time here she has also become president of the ISP Council and taken many AP courses. Despite all of, or perhaps because of it, Suzy has learned how to balance setting and pursuing goals with finding time to relax so as not to be overwhelmed with stress.

In February, Suzy encouraged her peers to become international travelers by sharing her story in the TEDx event. She believes that international travel allows people to learn new things about others as well as become more open minded, accepting, and independent. “By telling my story, I want to encourage them to go to another country. I want to encourage my peers from Moreau to do a transfer program in college [because] it shapes your personality to be more open minded because you are getting [exposure to] a variety of cultures.”

Suzy’s bravery in facing the unknown continues as she’s chosen to study at NYU. While she says she truly loves California and would be comfortable going to one of the UC’s to which she was also accepted, she wants to challenge herself yet again by spending the next four years exploring the east coast of the U.S. She is considering studying Educational Psychology, though she hasn’t committed to a major just yet. This summer she will explore that field by partaking in an internship in Shanghai with a company that works with children with disabilities.

We wish her the best of luck and will continue to celebrate her successes from here on the West Coast!